1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to connector modules used in the telecommunications industry, and more particularly relates to connector modules and blocks which receive protection modules to protect electrically telecommunications equipment connected thereto.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the telecommunications industry, connector blocks comprising an array of insulation displacement contacts are typically used in central offices, building entrance terminals, and outside plant cabinets for electrical connection between cables and cross connect wiring. One example is the standard 110-connector block (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,798,587, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference). Such connector blocks usually are formed from a plurality of parallelly arranged connector modules. Some connector modules include slots for mounting protectors (i.e., protection modules) which are electrically connected to the contacts (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,171,857 and 4,283,103, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference). Such connector modules are inconvenient to the user because the protection modules must usually be removed to add, move, or remove jumper wires.
To improve connection density, some connector modules include terminations on two surfaces. One such connector module has provisions to install protectors on either the front or rear surface of the module (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,689, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference). Such connector modules make it more convenient to add, move, or remove jumper wires because the protector does not have to be removed to add, move, or remove jumper wires. However, such connector modules have the disadvantage of requiring access to the rear of the module to add, remove, or replace protectors.